Final Report Summary - DEMOSHOPINSTANTSHOE (Demonstration of a cost-effective footwear based on shape memory materials to provide an instant fitting personalization service at the retail shop for enhancing user’s comfort)
Executive Summary:
Feet diseases represent an important social problem, being the female population who principally suffer from it. The Hallux Valgus is the most frequent feet deformation affecting one of every five women at adult age. This pathology, together with other deformations of the front part of the foot, are in most cases caused by a continued use of inadequate footwear, providing a poor fitting between the foot and the footwear.
The trends marking the aesthetics and fashion of the female footwear compels to realize a more precisely fitting to guarantee the comfort and functionality of this product. But the differences in morphometry of the human foot makes it very difficult to provide an adequate fitting to every user in a personalized way and causes that, especially in the case of women, the footwear becomes uncomfortable and unhealthy.
In this context, the DemoShopInstnatShoe project was created thanks to the funding of the VII Framework Programme of the European Commission. Its main objective was to develop a high-end female footwear being novel, ergonomic and personalized. Therefore, this initiative has generated new footwear upper materials based on composites including a shape memory alloy, creating an innovative service of shoe personalization in-store.
The process of the shoe customizable service, commercially called as InstantShoe, needs only a few steps: the client first chooses a shoe model which she likes among the customizable collection in the shop. The dimensions of the client’s feet are taken in few seconds in the store thanks to a low cost and easy to use foot scanner (commercially called “DomeScan” that generates the foot geometry in 3D). Then, by means of an automatic Shaping system, the upper part of the selected shoes will be modified in order to adapt the footwear to the client's foot geometry. The upper part of the shoes includes a specific Shape Memory Composite, which allows keeping the given shape: the client can verify the fitting and decide if she buys the footwear, or not. If the footwear is rejected, a treatment in the customization box helps the footwear to recover its initial shape: it is heated to a certain temperature. This whole shaping/recovery process can be performed several times on the same shoe.
The major innovation is that a client with light foot disease has a wide choice and can try the models in a shop, with possibility of buying the adapted shoes, or not: in this case the recover allows the shop assistant to reshape the model and keep it in stock. This is an advantage also for retail shops, where a new range of customizable shoes can be offered without incidence on the stocks level.
The DemoShopInstantShoe project finished on April 2015. The development of the Shop Tool, the Shape Memory Composite and its manufacturing industrialization has been already completed, enabling the footwear personalization service at retail shops. Users will benefit from the new customization service by the beginning of 2016, when InstanShoe will start its commercialization in the worldwide market. For further information, please access the project website (www.instantshoe.com) or contact José Joaquín Chico (calzamedi@calzamedi.com) from Calzamedi, company coordinator of the project and responsible for the InstantShoe personalization service.
Project Context and Objectives:
The DemoShopInstantShoe (DemoSIS) project is a direct follow on from the very successful ShopInstantShoe FP7-SME-2008-1 project, which came to promising conclusions in February 2012. This project has been funded by the European Commission through the VII Framework Programme in order to develop an aesthetic, innovative, ergonomic, comfortable and customized women footwear, as well as to industrialize its manufacturing process to be ready for its commercialization. For that purpose, a new material based on textile composites that will include Shape Memory Alloys will be used. This new footwear concept will improve the comfort of customers especially of those women who suffer foot pathologies that appear after a long use of inadequate footwear.
In this project, Calzamedi has set up a new service of women footwear personalization on retail shops called “InstantShoe”. For that, client’s feet will be automatically scanned in store to gather its 3D geometry thanks to the foot Measuring system called “DomeScan”. These dimensions will be used for deforming the footwear’s upper based on a Shape Memory Composite using a specific Shaping system. The shape memory properties of the footwear’s upper will allow the shoe to recover its original shape after being warmed if the customer rejects to buy it once the shoe has been personalized.
The most outstanding benefits of this innovative product-service are:
To consumers:
-Fitting customization based on individual feet measures.
-Increase in footwear comfort perceived by consumers that suffer from some foot pathologies.
-Reasonable price for an individual premium product compared with tailor-made and custom manufactured.
-Customization performed during the same buying session allowing the user to try out the product and wear it just after the purchase.
-Chance of changing their mind after personalization and decide not to acquire the personalized shoe.
To retail shops:
-High reduction in the time and cost required to manufacture customized footwear.
-Compatible with footwear designers for making fashionable and comfortable footwear collections.
-Reduction of stock of shoes at retail shops, since shoes with different wide are not required.
-Recoverability of conformed shoes, avoiding extra costs related to inaccurate footwear customization or non-sold products.
The project ended on April 2015. The developed technology of the shoe personalization service was validated being ready to be commercialized directly on retail shops under the brand of “InstantShoe”. Six European partners had taken part in its development: two from Spain (Calzamedi who was the general Coordinator of the project, and Biomechanics Institute of Valencia who played the role of Technical Coordinator); two from France (Texinov and Nimesis, experts in textile knitting and shape memory alloys respectively), one shoe manufacturer and distributor from Switzerland (Technoboots), and one chain of orthopaedics stores in Portugal (Ortopedias Twins).
Project Results:
Project results are the following ones:
1) Shape Memory Alloy
2) Shape Memory Textile
3) Shape Memory Composite
4) Shape Memory Footwear collection
5) Foot Measuring system
6) Shoe Shaping system
7) Software
In order to achieve these results, the work plan of the project has been followed. The technical activities that have been done by the partners of the project are summarized below.
The work started in WP1 by determining the specifications of the product-service. These specifications have been translated into design requirement for all the components that have been developed in the project (Shape Memory Alloy, Shape Memory Textile, Shape Memory Composite, Shape Memory Footwear, Measurement system, Shaping system, Heating system and Software). This information was the guideline for the development of the different components in an efficient way.
The objective of WP2 was to refine the manufacturing process of the Shape Memory Textile, Composite and Footwear. First of all, Texinov and Nimesis defined the final Technical Data Specifications of Nitinol wires, defining the methods for testing the wires and the conditions of approval of new batches. Secondly, Texinov optimized the knitting process and adapted all required machines and elements (transformation of big spools of Nitinol into small ones for an automated knitting process, adaptation of the knitting machine in order to reduce friction of the Nitinol wires and thus avoiding any modification of the metallurgical state of the wires, and development of a special warp creel to enable the proper unrolling of SMA bobbins without giving additional torsion to the wires). The adapted installations have been used for validating the production of Shape Memory Textile at industrial scale.
Continuing with WP2, the manufacturing process of the Shape Memory Composite at industrial scale was set up. The automatic gluing process of the Nitinol textile with the upper material and internal lining has been optimized. Different gluing suppliers and technologies have been explored before finding the one that best fits the specific properties of the Shape Memory Textile. The gluing process is finally done by a French subcontractor enrolled in the InstantShoe supply chain thanks to Texinov. The optimization process consisted in defining the adequate gluing material, conducting industrial tests to define the most suitable process and adjust the parameters to achieve the final product. The industrial manufacturing method will finally be done thanks to a flat belt calender using glue under the form of a web supplied on roll. This provides an industrial way of manufacturing the Shape Memory Composite with the required thermo-mechanical properties and de-lamination resistance, with the adequate aesthetics and comfort, and with the necessary production capacity in order to fit the quantities defined by the commercialization plan. The industrialization process has been done in parallel to the optimization of the Shape Memory Composite, thus they were highly dependent.
For finalizing with WP2, the manufacturing process of the Shape Memory Footwear has been industrialized. Two production runs were conducted during the project. The 1st one consisted of 45 pairs and was produced for laboratory tests and validation at IBV’s laboratory. During the 2nd production run, 40 pairs were produced for the validation at retail shops, 20 pairs for each retailer (Technoboots in Switzerland and Ortotwins in Portugal). After the 1st production run, all manufacturing steps were reviewed and several improvements were made in the shoe production which were implemented for the second production run. Especially, the cutting process and the toe-puff were improved and adapted to the special properties of the Shape Memory Composite.
The Shape Memory Textile, Composite and Footwear have been optimized in WP3 in order to achieve the desired thermomechanical behaviour. Explained in a simply way, the Shape Memory Footwear has to be deformed in the desired level, keep its deformed shape at room temperature, and recover its original shape in case it is heated over a specific temperature. For this purpose, a laboratory-scale thermomechanical test has been defined and realized. A complete testing plan including all selected materials, configurations and conditions has been conducted. After these tests, some initial materials were discarded and the final choice for upper material and lining has been done. Next, the optimal parameters have been found (diameter, spacing and wavy pattern inside the textile of Nitinol wires, thermal treatment, glue configuration, etc.). After manufacturing and testing several samples, three composites with different configurations were pre-selected. Calzamedi prepared some shoe prototypes with them (Composite A, B & C), and IBV tested their thermomechanical behaviour with the Shaping System developed in WP4.
The final composite configuration was decided after analysing together all the information from Texinov’s thermomechanical tests on flat samples, IBV’s thermomechanical tests of shoe prototypes, and IBV’s user perception tests done in WP5. There were only some few differences on the thermomechanical behaviour of composites. Nevertheless, Composite B was the one most preferred by users after wearing the shoe prototypes. Furthermore, the manufacturing process of composite B is easier, faster and cheaper (it does not require thermofixation process). Consequently, composite B was selected as the final composite configuration that will be used for the InstantShoe personalization service.
Some more tasks were performed before finishing WP3. On the one side, some shoe prototypes were sent to Texinov’s laboratory and its upper material cut to evaluate the behaviour of the SMC after suffering the shoe manufacturing process. The conclusion was that the SMC can withstand the manufacturing process without significant changes in its behaviour. On the other side, some flexion tests were performed by Nimesis on SMC samples based on norm EN 13512 in order to assure the flex resistance of the composite along the time. Next, further tests were performed with both flat samples and footwear prototypes in order to evaluate the shaping properties of the composite along different heating cycles. The final configuration maintains it original shape memory properties for at least 10 recovery cycles. Finally, Calzamedi has designed the footwear collection in collaboration with Ortotwins and Technoboots as experts in selling orthopedic shoes. The collection is based on eight different models. Four designs were combined in two lines: ‘Heel line’ (made with a narrow and aesthetic sole), and ‘Flat line’ (made with a wide and more stable sole). Several shoe prototypes of different models were manufactured in sizes 37, 38 and 39 for the validation tests performed in WP5.
WP4 aimed to generate the Shop Tool that is the device that will allow personalizing the Shape Memory Footwear to the client’s feet geometry. First, the technology to be used in the Measurement system has been selected. The system is based on optical technology including no moving elements or carriages. This technology generates a foot scanner that is inexpensive, light, small, easily transportable, with components that require low maintenance, and intuitive to be operated by shop assistances. Afterwards, a pair of different scanners prototypes has been performed. They were useful to prove the viability of the system and to optimize different components of the scanner. After that, the final prototype has been designed, manufactured, assembled and tested. The main improvements included the implementation of the final aesthetics, a reduction of its volume, the possibility to make it removable, the incorporation of Bluetooth connection with the PC, the compatibility with a tablet running in Windows 8, the programming of the final algorithms and control software, and the industrialization of its manufacture (defining every component, materials, production step, supplier, and production cost). After the development of the final prototype, three units of the Measuring system were prepared for the validation tests of WP5. Finally, IBV performed a study in order to determine the accuracy of the foot scanner. Mean error of the foot scanner is less than 1 mm, and percentile 50 is 0.77 mm. That means that 50% of the area of the foot has an error lower than this value. Furthermore, highest errors are located below the ankle and in the inter-toes area. These areas are not of interest for the InstantShoe application, so the Measuring system developed for the project (commercially named as DomeScan) has a good accuracy for its purpose.
Relating the Shaping system, various initial prototypes were designed, tested and evolved. Based on the testing results, one of them was selected for further evolution. On the one hand, the last was completely redesigned in order to adapt the position and the form of the extruders following the recommendations of IBV. The most important dimensions of the position, geometries and displacement of all extruders of the Shaping System were calculated by IBV from its foot anthropometric database. In addition, IBV performed a study of how many mechanisms were needed in order to adjust all the range of shoe sizes including several possible combinations. After review with Calzamedi the available room inside the last for hosting the needed movement level, it was decided to select 3 mechanisms to cover all the sizes range (Mechanism 1: sizes 35 & 36; Mechanism 2: sizes 37, 38 & 39; and Mechanism 3: sizes 40, 41 & 42). On the other hand, a new anchoring system was incorporated allowing the exchange of the lasts depending on the needed size and the electronics was designed for its industrial production. All this was included in a tailor-made square box in order to introduce the scanner, a complete set of lasts and the motors for lasts adjustment. In addition, the Recovery system was created which consists of a hot air system projected to the area to be recovered. In order to reach the necessary temperature, a casing was developed. To create the program, the dll were connected and it was tested to check that all the process from the scanning, last adjustment until the recovery works correctly. The software was created in English language, including translation to Spanish, German and Portuguese. After the validation tests by IBV with the prototype, some improvements and corrections were performed, creating thus the final version of the Shop Tool: the square box was improved by reducing 31% its volume and 29% its weight; the material of the last case was changed in order to better support the temperature reached in the Recovery system; the internal anchors were reinforced; the initial and final points of transmission system were blocked to prevent breakage of wire transmitters; the casing of the recovery system was redesigned in order to better maintain the heat in the deformation area; and finally, a program of updates was created allowing the end user to have the latest version of the software in a simple way.
In WP5 several tests have been done on shoe prototypes in order to validate the InstantShoe product-service. First of all, some basic functional tests have been performed in order to assure a proper weight, flexibility and friction properties of the shoes. Secondly, a flexion fatigue test on completed shoes simulating the real flexion produced during walking has been done by IBV in order to complement the ones realized by Nimesis on flat composite samples. Results were very satisfactory thus no damage was found assuring in this way the proper resistance of the shoe. Next, the performance of the Shaping system was checked. The position, dimension and movement level of the extruders were checked and compared with the theoretical ones. The heating process was also set up for a proper recovery of the shoe’s original shape. The temperature inside and outside the shoe was measured during the heating process on different areas of the forefoot. Results were analysed and the design of the hot air tube was tuned up. Final results on recovery tests demonstrated that 5 min of heating was enough for recovering the original shape of the Shape Memory Footwear. In addition, a set of tests were performed to find the optimal shoe shaping process that maximizes the deformation level of shoes and minimizes the time spent to personalize the footwear. Specifically, three shaping procedures were checked: a) deform the shoe at room temperature; b) deform the shoe while it is warm and let it cool down outside the Shaping system; and c) deform the shoe while it is warm and let it cool down inside the Shaping system. All shoes recovered completely their original shape independently on the shoe deformation method. Nevertheless, the last shaping methodology is the one with higher residual deformation, and thus, the one that shows a better mechanical behaviour. Therefore, shaping procedure c) was selected to be implemented in the commercial version of the Shop Tool.
Besides, a pair of validations with users was performed in WP5. The first study was done at IBV’s laboratory. Users with slight and mild forefoot deformations tested one of the shoe models with different composite configurations, following the footwear personalization process. Foot dimensions were determined using the Measuring system, and by help of the Shaping system and its Software, prototypes of Shape Memory Footwear were deformed. Footwear dimensions were determined before and after its shape adaptation, and subjective opinions were gathered by questionnaires. Users wore the footwear in 2 conditions: short-term (20 min of use) and long-term use (2 weeks of use). After analysing the information of the short-term test, it was decided to use Composite B as the one to be used for the long-term test as well as for the final product. The results obtained during the validation with users at IBV’s laboratory after the long-term test were positive. After its analysis, some minor aspects of the shoe design were improved for the further validation at retail shops. Anyway, the shoes were considered as very comfortable.
After the validation at IBV’s laboratory, TechnoBoots and OrtoTwins performed the validation at retail shops with real clients in Switzerland and Portugal respectively. The followed testing procedure was similar to the previous trials with users at IBV. First of all, a clinical foot evaluation was performed by a footcare specialist. Afterwards, a pair of the selected shoe model was customized using the Shop Tool based on the patient’s feet geometry. Finally, patients wore the shoes at store, and during at least one week at home, fulfilling some perception questionnaires. Feedback of the whole personalization process was gathered from clients, but also from retail shop assistances. Relating basic functionality aspects, the shoes provided enough grip, impact absorption and heel stability. Furthermore, they were considered as very flexible and light-weighting. Analysing the level of comfort perceived by users that participated on the validation at retail shops on both countries, shoes can be considered as comfortable. Furthermore, users were very interested in a shoe personalization service at retail shops such as the one of InstantShoe, being willing to wait at least half an hour for the shoe adaptation and to pay more for a pair of customized shoes in comparison to standard ones.
Potential Impact:
Feet diseases represent an important social problem, being the female population who principally suffer from it. The Hallux Valgus is the most frequent feet deformation affecting one of every five women at adult age. This pathology, together with other deformations of the front part of the foot, are in most cases caused by a continued use of inadequate footwear, providing a poor fitting between the foot and the footwear.
The trends marking the aesthetics and fashion of the female footwear compels to realize a more precisely fitting to guarantee the comfort and functionality of this product. But the differences in morphometry of the human foot makes it very difficult to provide an adequate fitting to every user in a personalized way and causes that, especially in the case of women, the footwear becomes uncomfortable and unhealthy.
Besides, European shoe industry needs to innovate for continuing being competitive: that is why InstantShoe is the project that fits the best in the comfort shoe market. In this context, the European shoe manufacturers and distributors can offer to the clients a differentiation in terms of individual fitting and personalization, both immediate and cost-effective. For that purpose, the shoe industry needs to identify, assimilate and exploit the new technologies to continue being competitive, as well as developing new concepts, aiming at applications of added value in areas as materials and services.
In this context, the DemoShopInstnatShoe project was created. Its main objective was to develop a high-end female footwear being novel, ergonomic and personalized. Therefore, this initiative has generated new footwear upper materials based on composites including a shape memory alloy, creating an innovative service of shoe personalization in-store.
During the project, the development of the Shop Tool, the Shape Memory Footwear and its manufacturing industrialization has been completed and validated. Furthermore, other kind of activities related to the exploitation and dissemination of the results have been done:
a) IPR issues have been dealt, defining specific protection strategies for the different results.
b) A marketing and communication strategy has been also established, differentiating between a Business to Business (BtoB) strategy, and the Business to Customer (BtoC) one. The agreed marketing strategy is a mixture of both emotional and rational aspects.
c) The corporative brand “InstantShoe” has been created and will represent the shoe personalization service during the commercialization phase.
d) A commercialization plan has been proposed, aiming to generate a worldwide market for the InstantShoe service.
e) A pricing strategy has been elaborated, starting from performing a production cost evaluation of the different components and devices in order to establish the final selling price of both the Shape Memory Footwear and the Shop Tool.
f) A business plan has been detailed, defining a sales estimation of shoes and retail shops that will commercialize the InstantShoe service.
g) The economic impact of every partner of the consortium has been evaluated together with the initial investment performed. Results demonstrate the economic feasibility of the InstantShoe personalization system.
On the other hand, several actions have been performed for disseminating the DemoShopInstantShoe project along the time. The logo and the website of the project (www.instantshoe.com) were prepared at the first months. A flyer and poster containing basic information of the new personalization system has been prepared in English, Spanish, French, German and Portuguese versions. Companies of the consortium have showed the poster and distributed flyers in eight fairs during the development of the project. Articles have been published in magazines such as “DeviceMed”, “Quo”, “Muy Interesante” and “Biomecanicamente”.
Furthermore, a final event was organized at the end of the project in order to show the InstantShoe personalization service. A press note about the project results was prepared previously and sent to several press media. Local authorities and the interested press media attended to the final event. It consisted on a live show of the shoe personalization service of InstantShoe, explaining every step of the process and its functioning. The feet of a model were scanned with the Measuring system, and a pair of Shoes with Shape Memory effect was personalized to her using the Shaping system. The functioning of the Shape Memory Textile and the customized shoes were shown to the audience. Finally, the shoes were recovered to its original shape. Several newspapers, websites and magazines published various articles, interviews and reports about the project’s official ending and its results. A total of 22 impacts on different press media have been registered including information of the project. The Spanish national TV channel “Telecinco” recorded a report after the final event (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-FJ203KLrag). It was broadcasted on TV the day after in the morning news space at Spanish national level.
To conclude, the DemoShopInstantShoe project finished on April 2015. The InstantShoe service has been set up and validated. Clients will benefit from the new customization service by the beginning of 2016, when InstanShoe starts its commercialization in the worldwide market. For further information, please access the project website (www.instantshoe.com) or contact José Joaquín Chico (calzamedi@calzamedi.com) from Calzamedi, company coordinator of the project and responsible for the InstantShoe personalization service.
List of Websites:
Information about ShopInstantShoe project is available at its public website: www.instantshoe.com. For any suggestion, please contact José Joaquín Chico (jjchico@calzamedi.com) from Calzamedi.
Feet diseases represent an important social problem, being the female population who principally suffer from it. The Hallux Valgus is the most frequent feet deformation affecting one of every five women at adult age. This pathology, together with other deformations of the front part of the foot, are in most cases caused by a continued use of inadequate footwear, providing a poor fitting between the foot and the footwear.
The trends marking the aesthetics and fashion of the female footwear compels to realize a more precisely fitting to guarantee the comfort and functionality of this product. But the differences in morphometry of the human foot makes it very difficult to provide an adequate fitting to every user in a personalized way and causes that, especially in the case of women, the footwear becomes uncomfortable and unhealthy.
In this context, the DemoShopInstnatShoe project was created thanks to the funding of the VII Framework Programme of the European Commission. Its main objective was to develop a high-end female footwear being novel, ergonomic and personalized. Therefore, this initiative has generated new footwear upper materials based on composites including a shape memory alloy, creating an innovative service of shoe personalization in-store.
The process of the shoe customizable service, commercially called as InstantShoe, needs only a few steps: the client first chooses a shoe model which she likes among the customizable collection in the shop. The dimensions of the client’s feet are taken in few seconds in the store thanks to a low cost and easy to use foot scanner (commercially called “DomeScan” that generates the foot geometry in 3D). Then, by means of an automatic Shaping system, the upper part of the selected shoes will be modified in order to adapt the footwear to the client's foot geometry. The upper part of the shoes includes a specific Shape Memory Composite, which allows keeping the given shape: the client can verify the fitting and decide if she buys the footwear, or not. If the footwear is rejected, a treatment in the customization box helps the footwear to recover its initial shape: it is heated to a certain temperature. This whole shaping/recovery process can be performed several times on the same shoe.
The major innovation is that a client with light foot disease has a wide choice and can try the models in a shop, with possibility of buying the adapted shoes, or not: in this case the recover allows the shop assistant to reshape the model and keep it in stock. This is an advantage also for retail shops, where a new range of customizable shoes can be offered without incidence on the stocks level.
The DemoShopInstantShoe project finished on April 2015. The development of the Shop Tool, the Shape Memory Composite and its manufacturing industrialization has been already completed, enabling the footwear personalization service at retail shops. Users will benefit from the new customization service by the beginning of 2016, when InstanShoe will start its commercialization in the worldwide market. For further information, please access the project website (www.instantshoe.com) or contact José Joaquín Chico (calzamedi@calzamedi.com) from Calzamedi, company coordinator of the project and responsible for the InstantShoe personalization service.
Project Context and Objectives:
The DemoShopInstantShoe (DemoSIS) project is a direct follow on from the very successful ShopInstantShoe FP7-SME-2008-1 project, which came to promising conclusions in February 2012. This project has been funded by the European Commission through the VII Framework Programme in order to develop an aesthetic, innovative, ergonomic, comfortable and customized women footwear, as well as to industrialize its manufacturing process to be ready for its commercialization. For that purpose, a new material based on textile composites that will include Shape Memory Alloys will be used. This new footwear concept will improve the comfort of customers especially of those women who suffer foot pathologies that appear after a long use of inadequate footwear.
In this project, Calzamedi has set up a new service of women footwear personalization on retail shops called “InstantShoe”. For that, client’s feet will be automatically scanned in store to gather its 3D geometry thanks to the foot Measuring system called “DomeScan”. These dimensions will be used for deforming the footwear’s upper based on a Shape Memory Composite using a specific Shaping system. The shape memory properties of the footwear’s upper will allow the shoe to recover its original shape after being warmed if the customer rejects to buy it once the shoe has been personalized.
The most outstanding benefits of this innovative product-service are:
To consumers:
-Fitting customization based on individual feet measures.
-Increase in footwear comfort perceived by consumers that suffer from some foot pathologies.
-Reasonable price for an individual premium product compared with tailor-made and custom manufactured.
-Customization performed during the same buying session allowing the user to try out the product and wear it just after the purchase.
-Chance of changing their mind after personalization and decide not to acquire the personalized shoe.
To retail shops:
-High reduction in the time and cost required to manufacture customized footwear.
-Compatible with footwear designers for making fashionable and comfortable footwear collections.
-Reduction of stock of shoes at retail shops, since shoes with different wide are not required.
-Recoverability of conformed shoes, avoiding extra costs related to inaccurate footwear customization or non-sold products.
The project ended on April 2015. The developed technology of the shoe personalization service was validated being ready to be commercialized directly on retail shops under the brand of “InstantShoe”. Six European partners had taken part in its development: two from Spain (Calzamedi who was the general Coordinator of the project, and Biomechanics Institute of Valencia who played the role of Technical Coordinator); two from France (Texinov and Nimesis, experts in textile knitting and shape memory alloys respectively), one shoe manufacturer and distributor from Switzerland (Technoboots), and one chain of orthopaedics stores in Portugal (Ortopedias Twins).
Project Results:
Project results are the following ones:
1) Shape Memory Alloy
2) Shape Memory Textile
3) Shape Memory Composite
4) Shape Memory Footwear collection
5) Foot Measuring system
6) Shoe Shaping system
7) Software
In order to achieve these results, the work plan of the project has been followed. The technical activities that have been done by the partners of the project are summarized below.
The work started in WP1 by determining the specifications of the product-service. These specifications have been translated into design requirement for all the components that have been developed in the project (Shape Memory Alloy, Shape Memory Textile, Shape Memory Composite, Shape Memory Footwear, Measurement system, Shaping system, Heating system and Software). This information was the guideline for the development of the different components in an efficient way.
The objective of WP2 was to refine the manufacturing process of the Shape Memory Textile, Composite and Footwear. First of all, Texinov and Nimesis defined the final Technical Data Specifications of Nitinol wires, defining the methods for testing the wires and the conditions of approval of new batches. Secondly, Texinov optimized the knitting process and adapted all required machines and elements (transformation of big spools of Nitinol into small ones for an automated knitting process, adaptation of the knitting machine in order to reduce friction of the Nitinol wires and thus avoiding any modification of the metallurgical state of the wires, and development of a special warp creel to enable the proper unrolling of SMA bobbins without giving additional torsion to the wires). The adapted installations have been used for validating the production of Shape Memory Textile at industrial scale.
Continuing with WP2, the manufacturing process of the Shape Memory Composite at industrial scale was set up. The automatic gluing process of the Nitinol textile with the upper material and internal lining has been optimized. Different gluing suppliers and technologies have been explored before finding the one that best fits the specific properties of the Shape Memory Textile. The gluing process is finally done by a French subcontractor enrolled in the InstantShoe supply chain thanks to Texinov. The optimization process consisted in defining the adequate gluing material, conducting industrial tests to define the most suitable process and adjust the parameters to achieve the final product. The industrial manufacturing method will finally be done thanks to a flat belt calender using glue under the form of a web supplied on roll. This provides an industrial way of manufacturing the Shape Memory Composite with the required thermo-mechanical properties and de-lamination resistance, with the adequate aesthetics and comfort, and with the necessary production capacity in order to fit the quantities defined by the commercialization plan. The industrialization process has been done in parallel to the optimization of the Shape Memory Composite, thus they were highly dependent.
For finalizing with WP2, the manufacturing process of the Shape Memory Footwear has been industrialized. Two production runs were conducted during the project. The 1st one consisted of 45 pairs and was produced for laboratory tests and validation at IBV’s laboratory. During the 2nd production run, 40 pairs were produced for the validation at retail shops, 20 pairs for each retailer (Technoboots in Switzerland and Ortotwins in Portugal). After the 1st production run, all manufacturing steps were reviewed and several improvements were made in the shoe production which were implemented for the second production run. Especially, the cutting process and the toe-puff were improved and adapted to the special properties of the Shape Memory Composite.
The Shape Memory Textile, Composite and Footwear have been optimized in WP3 in order to achieve the desired thermomechanical behaviour. Explained in a simply way, the Shape Memory Footwear has to be deformed in the desired level, keep its deformed shape at room temperature, and recover its original shape in case it is heated over a specific temperature. For this purpose, a laboratory-scale thermomechanical test has been defined and realized. A complete testing plan including all selected materials, configurations and conditions has been conducted. After these tests, some initial materials were discarded and the final choice for upper material and lining has been done. Next, the optimal parameters have been found (diameter, spacing and wavy pattern inside the textile of Nitinol wires, thermal treatment, glue configuration, etc.). After manufacturing and testing several samples, three composites with different configurations were pre-selected. Calzamedi prepared some shoe prototypes with them (Composite A, B & C), and IBV tested their thermomechanical behaviour with the Shaping System developed in WP4.
The final composite configuration was decided after analysing together all the information from Texinov’s thermomechanical tests on flat samples, IBV’s thermomechanical tests of shoe prototypes, and IBV’s user perception tests done in WP5. There were only some few differences on the thermomechanical behaviour of composites. Nevertheless, Composite B was the one most preferred by users after wearing the shoe prototypes. Furthermore, the manufacturing process of composite B is easier, faster and cheaper (it does not require thermofixation process). Consequently, composite B was selected as the final composite configuration that will be used for the InstantShoe personalization service.
Some more tasks were performed before finishing WP3. On the one side, some shoe prototypes were sent to Texinov’s laboratory and its upper material cut to evaluate the behaviour of the SMC after suffering the shoe manufacturing process. The conclusion was that the SMC can withstand the manufacturing process without significant changes in its behaviour. On the other side, some flexion tests were performed by Nimesis on SMC samples based on norm EN 13512 in order to assure the flex resistance of the composite along the time. Next, further tests were performed with both flat samples and footwear prototypes in order to evaluate the shaping properties of the composite along different heating cycles. The final configuration maintains it original shape memory properties for at least 10 recovery cycles. Finally, Calzamedi has designed the footwear collection in collaboration with Ortotwins and Technoboots as experts in selling orthopedic shoes. The collection is based on eight different models. Four designs were combined in two lines: ‘Heel line’ (made with a narrow and aesthetic sole), and ‘Flat line’ (made with a wide and more stable sole). Several shoe prototypes of different models were manufactured in sizes 37, 38 and 39 for the validation tests performed in WP5.
WP4 aimed to generate the Shop Tool that is the device that will allow personalizing the Shape Memory Footwear to the client’s feet geometry. First, the technology to be used in the Measurement system has been selected. The system is based on optical technology including no moving elements or carriages. This technology generates a foot scanner that is inexpensive, light, small, easily transportable, with components that require low maintenance, and intuitive to be operated by shop assistances. Afterwards, a pair of different scanners prototypes has been performed. They were useful to prove the viability of the system and to optimize different components of the scanner. After that, the final prototype has been designed, manufactured, assembled and tested. The main improvements included the implementation of the final aesthetics, a reduction of its volume, the possibility to make it removable, the incorporation of Bluetooth connection with the PC, the compatibility with a tablet running in Windows 8, the programming of the final algorithms and control software, and the industrialization of its manufacture (defining every component, materials, production step, supplier, and production cost). After the development of the final prototype, three units of the Measuring system were prepared for the validation tests of WP5. Finally, IBV performed a study in order to determine the accuracy of the foot scanner. Mean error of the foot scanner is less than 1 mm, and percentile 50 is 0.77 mm. That means that 50% of the area of the foot has an error lower than this value. Furthermore, highest errors are located below the ankle and in the inter-toes area. These areas are not of interest for the InstantShoe application, so the Measuring system developed for the project (commercially named as DomeScan) has a good accuracy for its purpose.
Relating the Shaping system, various initial prototypes were designed, tested and evolved. Based on the testing results, one of them was selected for further evolution. On the one hand, the last was completely redesigned in order to adapt the position and the form of the extruders following the recommendations of IBV. The most important dimensions of the position, geometries and displacement of all extruders of the Shaping System were calculated by IBV from its foot anthropometric database. In addition, IBV performed a study of how many mechanisms were needed in order to adjust all the range of shoe sizes including several possible combinations. After review with Calzamedi the available room inside the last for hosting the needed movement level, it was decided to select 3 mechanisms to cover all the sizes range (Mechanism 1: sizes 35 & 36; Mechanism 2: sizes 37, 38 & 39; and Mechanism 3: sizes 40, 41 & 42). On the other hand, a new anchoring system was incorporated allowing the exchange of the lasts depending on the needed size and the electronics was designed for its industrial production. All this was included in a tailor-made square box in order to introduce the scanner, a complete set of lasts and the motors for lasts adjustment. In addition, the Recovery system was created which consists of a hot air system projected to the area to be recovered. In order to reach the necessary temperature, a casing was developed. To create the program, the dll were connected and it was tested to check that all the process from the scanning, last adjustment until the recovery works correctly. The software was created in English language, including translation to Spanish, German and Portuguese. After the validation tests by IBV with the prototype, some improvements and corrections were performed, creating thus the final version of the Shop Tool: the square box was improved by reducing 31% its volume and 29% its weight; the material of the last case was changed in order to better support the temperature reached in the Recovery system; the internal anchors were reinforced; the initial and final points of transmission system were blocked to prevent breakage of wire transmitters; the casing of the recovery system was redesigned in order to better maintain the heat in the deformation area; and finally, a program of updates was created allowing the end user to have the latest version of the software in a simple way.
In WP5 several tests have been done on shoe prototypes in order to validate the InstantShoe product-service. First of all, some basic functional tests have been performed in order to assure a proper weight, flexibility and friction properties of the shoes. Secondly, a flexion fatigue test on completed shoes simulating the real flexion produced during walking has been done by IBV in order to complement the ones realized by Nimesis on flat composite samples. Results were very satisfactory thus no damage was found assuring in this way the proper resistance of the shoe. Next, the performance of the Shaping system was checked. The position, dimension and movement level of the extruders were checked and compared with the theoretical ones. The heating process was also set up for a proper recovery of the shoe’s original shape. The temperature inside and outside the shoe was measured during the heating process on different areas of the forefoot. Results were analysed and the design of the hot air tube was tuned up. Final results on recovery tests demonstrated that 5 min of heating was enough for recovering the original shape of the Shape Memory Footwear. In addition, a set of tests were performed to find the optimal shoe shaping process that maximizes the deformation level of shoes and minimizes the time spent to personalize the footwear. Specifically, three shaping procedures were checked: a) deform the shoe at room temperature; b) deform the shoe while it is warm and let it cool down outside the Shaping system; and c) deform the shoe while it is warm and let it cool down inside the Shaping system. All shoes recovered completely their original shape independently on the shoe deformation method. Nevertheless, the last shaping methodology is the one with higher residual deformation, and thus, the one that shows a better mechanical behaviour. Therefore, shaping procedure c) was selected to be implemented in the commercial version of the Shop Tool.
Besides, a pair of validations with users was performed in WP5. The first study was done at IBV’s laboratory. Users with slight and mild forefoot deformations tested one of the shoe models with different composite configurations, following the footwear personalization process. Foot dimensions were determined using the Measuring system, and by help of the Shaping system and its Software, prototypes of Shape Memory Footwear were deformed. Footwear dimensions were determined before and after its shape adaptation, and subjective opinions were gathered by questionnaires. Users wore the footwear in 2 conditions: short-term (20 min of use) and long-term use (2 weeks of use). After analysing the information of the short-term test, it was decided to use Composite B as the one to be used for the long-term test as well as for the final product. The results obtained during the validation with users at IBV’s laboratory after the long-term test were positive. After its analysis, some minor aspects of the shoe design were improved for the further validation at retail shops. Anyway, the shoes were considered as very comfortable.
After the validation at IBV’s laboratory, TechnoBoots and OrtoTwins performed the validation at retail shops with real clients in Switzerland and Portugal respectively. The followed testing procedure was similar to the previous trials with users at IBV. First of all, a clinical foot evaluation was performed by a footcare specialist. Afterwards, a pair of the selected shoe model was customized using the Shop Tool based on the patient’s feet geometry. Finally, patients wore the shoes at store, and during at least one week at home, fulfilling some perception questionnaires. Feedback of the whole personalization process was gathered from clients, but also from retail shop assistances. Relating basic functionality aspects, the shoes provided enough grip, impact absorption and heel stability. Furthermore, they were considered as very flexible and light-weighting. Analysing the level of comfort perceived by users that participated on the validation at retail shops on both countries, shoes can be considered as comfortable. Furthermore, users were very interested in a shoe personalization service at retail shops such as the one of InstantShoe, being willing to wait at least half an hour for the shoe adaptation and to pay more for a pair of customized shoes in comparison to standard ones.
Potential Impact:
Feet diseases represent an important social problem, being the female population who principally suffer from it. The Hallux Valgus is the most frequent feet deformation affecting one of every five women at adult age. This pathology, together with other deformations of the front part of the foot, are in most cases caused by a continued use of inadequate footwear, providing a poor fitting between the foot and the footwear.
The trends marking the aesthetics and fashion of the female footwear compels to realize a more precisely fitting to guarantee the comfort and functionality of this product. But the differences in morphometry of the human foot makes it very difficult to provide an adequate fitting to every user in a personalized way and causes that, especially in the case of women, the footwear becomes uncomfortable and unhealthy.
Besides, European shoe industry needs to innovate for continuing being competitive: that is why InstantShoe is the project that fits the best in the comfort shoe market. In this context, the European shoe manufacturers and distributors can offer to the clients a differentiation in terms of individual fitting and personalization, both immediate and cost-effective. For that purpose, the shoe industry needs to identify, assimilate and exploit the new technologies to continue being competitive, as well as developing new concepts, aiming at applications of added value in areas as materials and services.
In this context, the DemoShopInstnatShoe project was created. Its main objective was to develop a high-end female footwear being novel, ergonomic and personalized. Therefore, this initiative has generated new footwear upper materials based on composites including a shape memory alloy, creating an innovative service of shoe personalization in-store.
During the project, the development of the Shop Tool, the Shape Memory Footwear and its manufacturing industrialization has been completed and validated. Furthermore, other kind of activities related to the exploitation and dissemination of the results have been done:
a) IPR issues have been dealt, defining specific protection strategies for the different results.
b) A marketing and communication strategy has been also established, differentiating between a Business to Business (BtoB) strategy, and the Business to Customer (BtoC) one. The agreed marketing strategy is a mixture of both emotional and rational aspects.
c) The corporative brand “InstantShoe” has been created and will represent the shoe personalization service during the commercialization phase.
d) A commercialization plan has been proposed, aiming to generate a worldwide market for the InstantShoe service.
e) A pricing strategy has been elaborated, starting from performing a production cost evaluation of the different components and devices in order to establish the final selling price of both the Shape Memory Footwear and the Shop Tool.
f) A business plan has been detailed, defining a sales estimation of shoes and retail shops that will commercialize the InstantShoe service.
g) The economic impact of every partner of the consortium has been evaluated together with the initial investment performed. Results demonstrate the economic feasibility of the InstantShoe personalization system.
On the other hand, several actions have been performed for disseminating the DemoShopInstantShoe project along the time. The logo and the website of the project (www.instantshoe.com) were prepared at the first months. A flyer and poster containing basic information of the new personalization system has been prepared in English, Spanish, French, German and Portuguese versions. Companies of the consortium have showed the poster and distributed flyers in eight fairs during the development of the project. Articles have been published in magazines such as “DeviceMed”, “Quo”, “Muy Interesante” and “Biomecanicamente”.
Furthermore, a final event was organized at the end of the project in order to show the InstantShoe personalization service. A press note about the project results was prepared previously and sent to several press media. Local authorities and the interested press media attended to the final event. It consisted on a live show of the shoe personalization service of InstantShoe, explaining every step of the process and its functioning. The feet of a model were scanned with the Measuring system, and a pair of Shoes with Shape Memory effect was personalized to her using the Shaping system. The functioning of the Shape Memory Textile and the customized shoes were shown to the audience. Finally, the shoes were recovered to its original shape. Several newspapers, websites and magazines published various articles, interviews and reports about the project’s official ending and its results. A total of 22 impacts on different press media have been registered including information of the project. The Spanish national TV channel “Telecinco” recorded a report after the final event (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-FJ203KLrag). It was broadcasted on TV the day after in the morning news space at Spanish national level.
To conclude, the DemoShopInstantShoe project finished on April 2015. The InstantShoe service has been set up and validated. Clients will benefit from the new customization service by the beginning of 2016, when InstanShoe starts its commercialization in the worldwide market. For further information, please access the project website (www.instantshoe.com) or contact José Joaquín Chico (calzamedi@calzamedi.com) from Calzamedi, company coordinator of the project and responsible for the InstantShoe personalization service.
List of Websites:
Information about ShopInstantShoe project is available at its public website: www.instantshoe.com. For any suggestion, please contact José Joaquín Chico (jjchico@calzamedi.com) from Calzamedi.
